


Snow Day

by beyondtheskyline



Category: The Locked Tomb Trilogy | Gideon the Ninth Series - Tamsyn Muir
Genre: Gideon refuses to shovel, Multi, Snow Day, Snowball Fight, they all live in a cul-de-sac
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29168529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyondtheskyline/pseuds/beyondtheskyline
Summary: A snow day turns into a snowball fight.
Relationships: Camilla Hect/Dulcinea Septimus/Palamedes Sextus, Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Snow Day

**Author's Note:**

> I had a snow day today and decided to write this instead of literally any of my other works, so you’re welcome!

The bed was warm. The blankets were warm. Even the pillow was warm. The heater was going at full speed and making everything a beautiful, soft, and happy warm. Gideon could have stayed in the bed for days, or even hibernated there for the rest of winter. 

Leave it to Harrow to fuck that up.

“Griddle get up. We have to shovel.” Gideon’s wraith-like girlfriend threw open the door to their bedroom, already dressed because Harrow never slept. She yanked away the warm safety of Gideon’s blankets and pushed on her shoulder. “Griddle! Get up!” 

“Don’t wanna,” Gideon mumbled, face first in the pillow still. She reached back, blindly fumbling for the blankets, but Harrow held them out of reach. The cold creeped along Gideon’s skin, begrudgingly waking her up. She rolled over on her side to look blearily at the clock on the nightstand. “Harrow, it’s 6 AM!”

“Yes I know. The snow isn’t going to clear itself.” From outside, the wind gave a ferocious howl that only served to further Gideon’s dislike of the idea of getting up. 

“The snow will still be there in a few hours.” Gideon rolled back on her stomach and buried her face back into the pillow, struggling to recapture sleep while her skin slowly developed frostbite without her blankets. 

“Sextus and Hect have probably already started clearing out their driveway!” Harrow slightly squeaked. “We have to get out there!”

“Nonagesimus, I am  _ not _ , under any circumstances, getting up at six in the morning to play Shoveling Wars with you and the neighbors. If Sexpal and Cam want to get hypothermia that’s their business.” Gideon twisted her body expertly and snatched the blankets from the bottom of the bed. She burrowed back inside them, trying to soothe her chilled skin as the wind howled once more, promising instant death to whoever ventured outside. 

Harrow’s boney fingers latched onto the blankets to further torment Gideon, but in retaliation Gideon hurled one of the extra pillows back towards her. Harrow dodged it, huffed with exasperation, and sent shivers up Gideon’s spine as her eyes began drilling holes into the base of Gideon’s skull. After a few minutes of Harrow trying to will Gideon to either get up or burst into flames, the dark witch of death grumbled, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

“Harrow, I could sleep for three more days and you’d  _ still _ not be able to clear half the driveway, much less the sidewalk,” Gideon called to the mass of black as it swept itself from the bedroom and down the hall. Upon hearing no biting quip in return, Gideon curled up in the blankets and tried to go back to sleep. 

It was barely fifteen minutes later when the bedroom door swung open again and Harrow returned. “S-snow is ver-r-ry heavy,” she said, teeth slightly chattering. Gideon twisted around to see Harrow was covered in a dusting of snow and ice. The white powder was sticking to her abyssal hair and pointy face, and she swore there was a small icicle sitting on Harrow’s eyelash. Considering how bruised Harrow’s pride was, Gideon didn’t make a smart comment; she just laughed at her frozen girlfriend. Harrow flipped her off in return, then picked up the discarded pillow from earlier and smacked Gideon with it. 

After Harrow changed from her frozen clothes and washed the snow from her windswept hair, she clamoured under the covers with Gideon. Her body instantly leeched all the warmth from the bed as she pulled the covers closer, prompting Gideon to roll over and wrap her arms around her frozen crypt keeper. “You’re not taking all my blankets, Nonagesimus,” she mumbled into the crook of Harrow’s neck. 

Harrow’s fingers locked through Gideon’s and she said, in an adorably sleepy yet still frozen, voice, “Shut up, moron.”

* * *

The sun sparkled down on the freshly drifted snow, throwing flecks of light onto the icicles hanging off the roof. Camilla sat in the large sinking armchair her and Palamedes had found at a yard sale, sipping on too bitter coffee from a stupid mug they’d been given as a housewarming gift. It had an oval top and was stretched diagonally to the side like it was leaning and had the words “Too Hot To Be Straight” written on the side. Harrow had profusely apologized when Gideon had handed over the mug with her lopsided grin. (“What else do you get someone when they move in with their boyfriend and their boyfriend’s girlfriend?”) Cam thought it was perfect; Palamedes thought it was unnecessary; Dulcinea found it charming. 

Cam’s two housemates in question were currently in the kitchen arguing over whether Dulcinea should go out in the snow. “Your lungs are bad as is,” Pal was saying with as much calmness as one could have when arguing with a very stubborn Dulcinea Septimus. “Plus there’s undoubtedly ice underneath!”

“But it’s snow!” Was her pleading counter argument. 

Cam took another sip of the tongue numbing coffee (she had to stop letting Pal make this stuff). From out the frosted window she could see the other houses in the snow covered cul-de-sac. Some had their driveways and sidewalks still untouched, while others had started to clear out, but had been driven inside by the wind and cold. Cam had laughed to herself as she’d watched Harrow across the street struggle for a grand total of ten minutes with a shovel before stumbling back inside, having made nothing more than a surface dent in the driveway. That had been hours ago. 

Currently their neighbors to the left were finishing with their driveway, but it was Judith and Marta so that was no shock. Those two could move a mountain given enough time. Next to Gideon and Harrow’s house was Pent and Quinn and the children. Lights were coming on in the various rooms and shadows were excitedly running back and forth behind the drapes: telltale signs of a snow day. The still darkened house beside Judith and Marta belonged to Silas and his nephew. They ran the large Church of the White Glass downtown, and Cam had no doubt they were doing some strange worship of the snow ceremony at the moment. Of all the strange figures in their little circle, those two were the strangest. Giving them a run for their money was the trio who lived in the large mansion at the end of the circle round. The Tridentarii forced Naberius to take painstaking care of their lawn, and Cam had no doubt that they’d make him clean off the large winding driveway solo. The chandelier in the entryway was alight and could be seen through the freshly washed windows, sending yellow rays cascading downwards. 

This place was the weirdest community to exist, but it was  _ their _ weird little community and Cam wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

“Cam! Pancakes are done!” Palamedes called from the kitchen. 

“Who made them?”

“Dulcie.”

“Thank god,” Cam said half jokingly as she entered their wide entertaining kitchen. Palamedes hovered around Dulcinea as she slid perfectly golden pancakes onto plates. 

“I insisted,” Dulcie said cheerfully. “We know Pal can burn even water.”

“That was one time!” Palamedes protested.

Cam took her plate and ruffled her partner’s hair. “Did you two reach an agreement on the topic of Dulcie and snow?”

“Yes!” Dulcinea chirped happily. “I can sit on the porch and watch the snow as long as I don’t try to go out on the driveway.” Her wide smile and glowing blue eyes held such a love of adventure it was easy to see why Pal hovered around her like she was a baby duck leaving the nest for the first time. 

“We should get shoveling before the snow becomes too compacted,” Palamedes said, ever the physical embodiment of anxiety. “With all this sunlight it will undoubtedly melt and refreeze into—” Cam pushed a pancake into his mouth to shut him up. His face went beet red as Cam and Dulcinea laughed. The noise was musical as ever in their cozy little house. 

* * *

Gideon placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Harrow who was already on her laptop. Leave it to Nonagesimus to keep working on a snow day. The wind whipped snow onto the windows which were covered by blackout curtains. It had taken Harrow all of two days when they’d first moved in to turn their house into a gothic shrine. Gideon had to carefully move two reconstructed animal skulls off the counter to set down the coffee mug and a plate offering fruit that wouldn’t stab Harrow’s taste buds.

“Let’s go play in the snow!” Gideon whined, now fully awake since it was no longer an ungodly hour of the morning. “I want to build an igloo!”

“And when it collapses and asphyxiates you, I will give a scathing eulogy.”

Gideon moved around the island and wrapped her arms around Harrow’s boney waist. She nuzzled at her girlfriend’s neck and hair until Harrow’s hands stilled on the keyboard. “Griddle, if you are trying to divert my attention I must insist you find a less desperate course of action.”

Gideon kissed her girlfriend’s neck gently. “If I help you shovel can we  _ please _ build something? How about a snowman? We can name him Skeleton Von Boneington or some shit!”

“Griddle, I—”

“Tibia Humeron?”

“Gideon—”

“Phalangia Funny Bone?”

“The so-called funny bone does not exist; it’s a nerve as I have told you a dozen times!” But Harrow was laughing as Gideon continued leaving kisses all across her neck and ear. “Fine!” She shouted in exasperation. “We’ll build a damn snowman. After we clear the driveway!” Gideon excitedly squeezed Harrow, crushing the air out of her lungs briefly, before running to get her jacket on. “Put on gloves, Gideon!” Harrow shouted after her. “You are at the height of annoyance when sick!”

After dressing in layers of warm clothing, Gideon and Harrow stepped outside into the winter wonderland. Gideon instantly jumped into the piled snow, tossing some up towards Harrow. The gloom goddess wrinkled her nose, seemingly still adverse to snow after her encounter that morning. 

Next door, Abigail and Magnus had begun shoveling. Jeannemary and Isaac were running around through the piles of white, throwing haphazard snowballs at each other, obviously supposed to be helping. Issac stopped to wave at Gideon then got pelted in the back with a snowball. Gideon instantly started packing snow together, ready to join in, when Harrow tossed a shovel at her. “You’re no fun,” Gideon said teasingly. 

Across the street, Dulcinea waved at them from a seat on the porch. She was dressed in a million winter accessories: scarf, hat, gloves, coat, and so on. Cam and Sexpal had just begun shoveling out their vehicles, Cam clearly doing most of the work. Palamedes and Harrow fell into the same category of ‘total of three muscles’. 

Gideon knew she’d been shoveling for maybe ten minutes, but she was bored. Harrow had partially cleared the top layer of snow off a section of driveway, meanwhile Gideon had cleared a decent sized strip down to the road. She stood, leaning on the shovel, watching as Harrow wiped sweat from her forehead as she finally broke through to the ground. As she watched, a snowball came flying over the hedges dividing their yard from Abigail and Magnus. It smacked Gideon in the side and startled her out of happily staring at her wraith. The terrible teens ducked quickly behind the bushes, their loud giggles floating up over. 

Gideon dropped the shovel and started packing snow into a tight ball. “Griddle, no,” said Harrow in a tone of voice that indicated she said the phrase often. Thinking they were safe, the teens popped back up from behind the bush. 

Isaac cried out and dropped back down as Gideon’s snowball struck him in the chest. 

“Snowball fight!” Jeannemary shouted, popping up again, armed with two handfuls of snow. She threw both, one at Gideon and the other at Harrow. Gideon ducked, but Harrow was nailed in the leg. A white toothed grin spread over Nonegesimus’s face and she tossed a quickly crafted snow heap back at the teen girl. 

“You two are supposed to be helping,” Magnus said, coming around from the other side of their driveway. When he saw what was happening he broke into a large grin, tossed his shovel aside, and joined the teens behind the hedge where they seemed to have an arsenal of snowballs already made. 

Gideon pulled Harrow behind the wind generated snowdrift in their yard as multiple snowballs came pelting towards them. “We are sorely underprepared,” Harrow said sternly, already forming snowballs in rapid succession. 

“I didn’t know you could make snowballs,” Gideon said, slightly shocked, as Harrow’s bird fingers packed snow into perfect shapes. 

“I can make a variety of weapons,” Harrow huffed as two snowballs sailed over the snowdrift. Her black eyes were alight with the primal need to hurl shit at other people as she commanded, “Now hurry up and throw some of these!”

“Because your three muscles won’t get them farther than your car?” Gideon’s arm was smacked for the comment, but Harrow was still grinning wickedly. Damn, Gideon loved this girl. 

“Want some help?” Cam suddenly appeared behind them, disintegrated snowballs stuck to her coat. 

“Hell yeah!” Gideon handed her two of Harrow’s snowballs and they launched them over the top of their barrier and at the opposition. Isaac shrieked as he was pelted, and he smacked into Jeannemary as she reached up to yank him back down. Magnus laughed and threw a snowball which clipped Gideon’s shoulder. Cam avenged her by hurling three snowballs in rapid succession at the man. Two found their marks, but he ducked the third. 

“You go Cam!” Dulcinea cheered from across the street. 

Harrow had turned into a snowball making machine. Two small piles had formed in between her and her firing squad. Cam and Gideon made quick work of them, tossing handful after handful towards the teens and Magnus. Screaming laughter followed each round before return fire of a dozen snowballs came their way. “We’re running out of snowballs,” Gideon said, realizing they had worn the piles down to a small handful. 

“I’m only one person, Griddle!” 

“We need backup,” Cam reasoned as they flattened against their barrier as snowballs came flying over. “Abigail has joined their side.”

“Hey no fair!” Gideon popped her head over their snowbank. “We’re outnumbered!” Two snowballs smacked her in the face. Clumps of snow clung to her orange hair as she spat snow from her mouth. “Those two have wicked aim.”

“The teens?” Harrow asked. 

“Abigail and Magnus! Isaac and Jeannemary can barely hit someone standing in front of them.”

“Hey!” Came the pitiful cries from across the yard. 

Suddenly a golden ray of hope appeared on the sidewalk beside their encampment. “I heard you three needed a hand,” said the silky voice of Coronabeth. She was wearing a golden trench coat with gold earmuffs and fluffy purple gloves. Her smile could have melted snow. 

“Can you make snowballs?” Harrow asked, her own hands taking on a red color. 

“Hell yeah.”

The opposition welcomed Corona by pelting her with snowballs as she crossed to their hideout. Her and Harrow piled on the snowballs at breakneck speed, almost faster than Cam and Gideon could throw them. The other side was becoming severely depleted in resources, and Gideon nailed Jeannemary in the back multiple times as she ran to get more snow from the piles beside the driveway. Corona popped over to throw a few, but while she had the distance her aim was off and she ended up pelting the banks behind their targets. 

The fight lasted maybe twenty more minutes before both sides were tired and snow was beginning to be packed with upturned dirt. Magnus was the one to wave his brown scarf in the air and call for a ceasefire. “It’s a white flag you’re supposed to wave,” Jeannemary had informed him, but by the time Cam and Gideon had unloaded the last of their snowballs at him the fabric could be counted as white. 

The adults herded the snow covered children inside, leaving the driveway half shoveled. Cam invited the victorious team inside for hot chocolate with a “Don’t worry, Dulcie will make it.” Corona happily took her up on the offer, but Harrow declined.

“Griddle and I have more work to do,” she said to Corona’s begging.

Once their neighbors had disappeared across the street, Gideon whined, “I don’t wanna keep shoveling, Harrow!”

“We’re not going to shovel you idiot.” Harrow rubbed her frozen hands together, now safely tucked back into her black gloves. She took Gideon’s arm and led her to the backyard. “I promised you a snowman.” 

Gideon tackled Harrow into the snow with a hug, causing a loud squeak out of the snow covered skeleton. 

* * *

The fireplace crackled loudly across the room, prompting Gideon to turn up the volume on the stupid action movie she was forcing Harrow to watch. The snowman had been built, and ceremoniously knighted as Bonius The Ninth. (“Why would there be eight other snowmen named Bonius?” Harrow had asked. “Because why not?” Had been Gideon’s reply). 

Harrow was sprawled on top of Gideon’s chest, face nestled in the crook of Gideon’s neck, one hand running through the orange hair. At least three blankets were piled on them, but Harrow was perpetually an ice chest. “We never did finish the driveway,” Harrow mumbled against Gideon’s skin. 

“It’ll still be there tomorrow,” Gideon reminded her, absently stroking her hand along the exposed skin on Harrow’s back. “And besides, you can have an undistracted view of  _ these _ ”—she flexed her biceps knowing Harrow could feel them against her skin—“cause we both know I’m doing most of the shoveling.” 

Her girlfriend gave a weary sigh and gently tugged on Gideon’s hair. “You are not going outside without a jacket on. I refuse to deal with your whiny ass if you catch a cold.”

Gideon bent and kissed the top of Harrow’s head. “Never fear Nonagesimus, I’ll still be a whiny ass while healthy as a horse.” She felt Harrow’s mouth curl into a smile and heard a faint mumble. Probably something along the lines of ‘shut up you moron’. 

She was Harrow’s moron though, so that’s what mattered. 


End file.
